[Leica] What are the rumors around Leica and Photokina? WAS : Leica annual report

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

As far as a new 50 Summicron goes I think they think they've done all the
R&D they're in the mood to do on a medium speed normal and its called a 50mm
F/2.5 Summarit-M. Your not paying for a more modern design because you're
not getting one. You are getting low tech. low cost. Money saving Leica
design. But with a new name and a new few other things I'm sure. And the
difference between 2 and 2.5 is what fraction of F stop? A small one. I may
be impressed by the sound of the word "Summicron" over "Summarit" but the
masses out there buying Leicas are not going to be. If they want more modern
optics in a 50 non fast lens from Leica they'll get the 2.5.  Its 13 hundred
dollars and some of the specs are better than the Summicron which cost two
grand? The resolution specs at least are supposedly better on the 50's
coming out of Cosina with the Voigtl?nder and Zeiss logos on them.
When they do get around to updating the mythical 50 Summicron they'll not
just add ASPH elements but complicated internal mechanisms to justify
charging many thousand of dollars for it. Money I have no intention of
spending.
I got mine new on my first M in May 1993 for $650. New at Adorama.
Got glowing results from it. And plan to get more glowing results from it.
The next year they came out with the one with the built in shade. I like
mine much better. My shade is plastic. Some day I'll get the metal one for
it. The contrast is a bit low they saw. Does that mean I was using a 2.5
printing filter and they were using a 2? Where are my tissues? The
distortion on the Summicron is perfect. There is none. But on the Summarit
its there. Slight. But there.
I'm glad I got Summicron when I got it.
And you can still get a used one for I bet the exact same amount.
In effect I've just rented mine for free.

-- 
Mark William Rabiner
mark at rabinergroup.com


> From: "Peter A. Klein" <pklein at threshinc.com>
> Reply-To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:11:49 -0700
> To: Leica Users Group <lug at leica-users.org>
> Subject: Re: [Leica] What are the rumors around Leica and Photokina? WAS :
> Leica annual report
> 
> 
> *Something* is in the works.  But who knows what that something is?  It
> could be anything from a major new model to an exciting new rebadged
> Panasonic point-and-shoot.  As to the 50 Summicron, I've heard someone
> from Leica (I think Stefan Daniel) say that they had looked at improving
> the 50 Summicron, but it simply wasn't cost-effective to do so. Of
> course, they could change their minds.  In the face of a $5,000 Summilux
> Asph, hey, a $4,000 Summicron would seem positively economical.
snip
> 
> --Peter